Richarlison's Omission Sparks Controversy at Tottenham

Richarlison’s one-word question cuts through all the noise.

“Why?”

The Tottenham forward posted the message alongside a screenshot highlighting his omission from Roberto de Zerbi’s squad for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool, adding a tearful, sad-faced emoji. One character, one image, and suddenly a selection call became a public flashpoint.

This is no routine rotation. It lands in the middle of a growing storm around the Brazilian’s future in north London.

A Transfer That Never Was

Only days ago, Richarlison looked close to a return home. A move to Vasco da Gama had been lined up, with sources indicating Tottenham and the Brazilian club had agreed a fee for the 29-year-old. The path seemed clear.

Then it shut.

Personal terms were never finalised before the Brazilian transfer window closed on Friday, leaving Richarlison in limbo: still a Spurs player, but not clearly part of Spurs’ plans. The missed deadline did not just kill a deal; it left an awkward question hanging over his role under De Zerbi.

That question grew louder the moment the Carabao Cup squad dropped without his name on it.

De Zerbi Draws His Line

If Richarlison’s post was short, De Zerbi’s response carried a different kind of weight.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Monday, the Tottenham head coach laid out his version of the past few months with a bluntness that left little room for interpretation.

“At the start of this season, I spoke to him many times to convince him to stay and he didn't want to,” De Zerbi said. “I can't go every day to pray for him to stay.”

It was a pointed line, the sort managers usually choose carefully. De Zerbi then detailed the club’s efforts to secure Richarlison’s commitment.

“What I have done at the beginning of this season has been to speak with him and to propose an extension of the contract. If he said, 'no thank you,' I finished my job.”

That is the crux of it. From De Zerbi’s perspective, the club made its offer, the manager made his pitch, and the player declined. Once that happened, the dynamic shifted. So did the power.

A Rift Behind Closed Doors

De Zerbi hinted at deeper issues without opening the full door.

“I know what happened in the last 45 days. It's not right if I explained. It's not my behaviour. The relationship, the problem is between the player and the club.”

Forty-five days. A transfer window, a failed move, private conversations, and now a public snub. The Italian chose not to air the details, but he made one thing clear: this is not just about one game against Liverpool. It is about trust, commitment, and who is truly on board.

Richarlison’s reaction suggests he sees it differently. A player who believed he still had a part to play does not usually go public with a “Why?” unless he feels blindsided or misrepresented.

The club’s stance and the player’s emotion are now on opposite sides of the same screen.

What Comes Next?

For Tottenham, this is a delicate situation. A high-profile forward, a manager with a firm line, and a transfer window that has closed in Brazil but remains a factor elsewhere in the world.

For Richarlison, the picture is starker. He stayed. Not by design, but by circumstance. Yet he now finds himself outside the squad for a major cup tie and, based on De Zerbi’s words, outside the manager’s long-term vision unless something fundamental changes.

The question is no longer just why he was left out against Liverpool.

It is whether there is a way back for him at Tottenham at all.